The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document Registration 512,397 filed on May 30, 2002 under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7122 and 37 C.F.R. xc2xa71.14. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to time indicating devices, and more particularly a multi-functional time indicating device having a multi-colored display transmitted through fiber optic communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a multitude of timepieces, especially wrist watches or free-standing clocks, displaying the time in analog or digital format. Other timepieces illustrate time change via non-numerical means, such as the expanding pie chart in U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,698. Beyond the functional aspects of such wrist watches, the varying styles offer trendy alternatives to the traditional appearances society has grown accustomed to. As such, new styles and formats of timepieces are a necessary ingredient in influencing the timepiece industry.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,841, issued in the name of Bradt, discloses an educational toy clock having a plurality of discs of varying colors and numbers;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,698, all issued in the name of Graves, discloses a time indication device illuminated to indicate the hour and minute, wherein the hour is in Arabic or Roman numerals and the minute is displayed as an expanding pie chart;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,013, issued in the name of Bik, discloses a microelectronic apparatus having a color changing display to indicate time;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,731, issued in the name of Massaro, discloses an analog timepiece for children having an inner ring of hour numerals, an outer ring of minute numerals, and at least one transparent hand;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,615, issued in the name of Havel, discloses a timekeeping device that measures time and provides a variable color coordinated display for exhibiting analog translation of measured time;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,876, issued in the name of Delatorre, discloses an apparatus for altering the color characteristic of a thermoplastic film due to ambient environmental temperature change;
U.S. Pat. No. 1,356,929, issued in the name of Lewers, discloses an educational clock having removable blocks for teaching a child how to tell time in both Roman and Arabic numerals; and
U.S. Pat. No. D 419,600, issued in the name of Marasca, discloses a design for a teaching timepiece having an hour hand, a longer minute hand, hour and minute hashes along the facial perimeter, hour numerals along the inside of the hashes, minutes numerals along the outside of the hashes and a digital display of the time.
Accordingly, there is a continual need for new and innovative features and improvements that will serve to enhance the timepiece industry.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved timepiece apparatus having a multi-functional capacity and a multicolored display.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a fashionable clothing accessory.
Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-functional timepiece with multicolor time display is a watch or free-standing clock in which the current time is determined by the use of a series of colored lights around the face of the watch. The face has the current layout associated with conventional watches, with the number 12 on top and numbers 1-11 evenly spaced around the perimeter. However, in lieu of hour hands, minute hands and second hands, the invention uses a series light to indicate the time. A group of red lights indicate the hour, a series of yellow lights indicate the minutes, and a series of green lights indicates the seconds. The light is transmitted from a central source via fiber optic tubes. Other functions such as day and date indications are provided in the conventional manner. The use of the multi-functional watch with multicolor display will serve as a fashion statement that complements any look as well as being a conversation starter.